'Put it out, right out' - Fire service warn on deadly dangers of smoking

Smokers are being warned that they must wake up to the deadly dangers of smoking.

Dorset Fire and Rescue is highlighting the fact that a third of all deaths in fires in the home are caused by cigarettes as part of the Fire Kills campaign.

Smoking is the single biggest killer in accidental fires in the home, often because of careless behaviour such as smoking in bed or not taking care after drinking alcohol.

When smokers fall asleep with a lit cigarette in hand, their proximity to the resulting fire seriously lowers their chance of escaping in time and avoiding serious consequences.

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service is reminding smokers to ‘Put it Out, Right Out’ whenever they light up – to install smoke alarms on every level of the home and, to test them monthly.

Without a working smoke alarm you are at least four times more likely to die in an accidental fire in the home.

These simple steps can help prevent a cigarette fire in the home:

Never smoke in bed. Take care when you’re tired – it’s very easy to fall asleep while your cigarette is still burning and set furniture alight

Never smoke when under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If your lit cigarette starts a fire you could be less able to escape.

Put it out, right out! Make sure your cigarette is fully extinguished

Fit a smoke alarm and test it weekly. A working smoke alarm can buy you valuable time to get out, stay out and call 999

Never leave lit cigarettes, cigars or pipes unattended – they can easily overbalance as they burn down

Use a proper, heavy ashtray that can’t tip over easily and is made of a material that won’t burn.

Kate Huelin, prevention manager at Dorset Fire and Rescue said “Every six days, someone dies from a fire caused by cigarettes or smoking materials. Despite a fall in the overall number of fires caused by these products, it’s still the biggest killer in accidental fires in the home across the country.

“Every smoker should wake up to the risks they take every time they light up.

“People should drop the habit of smoking while in bed or when they are under the influence of alcohol.

“The risk of falling asleep before you ‘put it out, right out’ is just too great.

“Just two to three breaths of toxic smoke can render you unconscious, so invest in a working smoke alarm and test it monthly.

“It can give you the extra time you need to escape if the worst should happen.”